Forget the playoffs – the first 5:44 of the Mineola vs. Chapel Hill District 13-3A championship tiebreaker was without a whistle. It was phenomenal action. Non-stop. End-to-end. Two quality teams playing high level basketball. 

As expected, Mineola exploited their size advantage in the opening minutes, with the Jackets’ big men accounting for eight of the team’s 10 first-quarter points.

Conversely, the Red Devils used free-wheeling offensive motion and outside sharpshooting to claim a 14-10 lead at the break.

Both teams played a hounding man-to-man defense. This added to the remarkable demonstration of basketball acumen, as each side used a variety of screens and picks, back-door cuts and give-and-goes. It was a clinic.

Neither side pressed, however Mineola picked up the Chapel Hill guards in the backcourt throughout the game. The tactic seemed to work, as it required the Red Devils to work extra hard to transition into their offensive sets.

Game tempo slowed a bit in the second quarter. Tied at 16 midway through the second quarter, Chapel Hill went on their only run of the night and opened up a 22-16 lead. Mineola had gone cold in the second quarter. 

With two minutes to play before the half, it was Keke Martin who ended the dry spell with a timely bucket. Dawson Pendergrass followed Martin’s score with an inside spin move down the left side of the lane. At the buzzer, Hunter Vandover sunk a 3-pointer from the deep baseline. 

The Jackets took a 23-22 lead into the half. 

As the crowd drew a breath, one statistic jumped out. The Yellowjackets pulled down 14 rebounds in the first half. They would corral another 22 in the second.

There are many reasons for victory between two good basketball teams. Rebounding is surely one of the most critical. 

Pendergrass and T.J. Moreland provided much of the Jackets’ third quarter production. Moreland registered 8 of his 21 points, Pendergrass 4 of his 12 in the quarter. Martin netted a timely 3-pointer. 

Just before the quarter break, Pendergrass double-pumped an 8-foot jump shot from the lane and banked it home. His score gave Mineola a 38-33 lead after three quarters.    

Despite the appearance of dominance by Mineola, a five-point margin could evaporate in an instant against an outside-shooting team like Chapel Hill. The Jackets maintained their composure, continued to hit the boards and played smart basketball. 

Mineola whistled a time-out with 1:37 to play, leading 47-42. There were 12 changes of possession in the remaining time, as Chapel Hill needed the ball to unleash 3-pointers. The Jackets were buoyed by great backcourt play and flawless free throw shooting by Moreland. The junior guard made eight free throws in the final moments to retain the winning margin.

Mineola hit their stride in this game. The inside play, especially combination play between Pendergrass and Stephen Ogueri, was excellent. The guard play of Moreland, Martin and Xzavien Lipscomb met a huge challenge against Chapel Hill. They played very good transition basketball, always remained under control and looked for assist opportunities. 

It may have been the Jackets’ defense, however, which truly earned the district championship. The Mineola defense simply forced Chapel Hill to work harder for their shots.